A leading non governmental organization (NGO), Development Initiative of West Africa (DIWA) has trained 240 participants cut across Benue, Kwara, Kogi and Niger States on how to eradicate gender-based violence and create safer, more equitable communities.
The Programme Manager, DIWA, Musa El-thani Muhammad said the training aided entrenchment of sustainable strategies by empowering local stakeholders to proactively address GBV and promote gender-equitable norms (GEN).
While announcing the implementation of a Step-Down Training One (SDT 1) in the four states conducted between April 27th and May 1st this year, Muhammad said through the SDT 1, participants gained invaluable insights and skills rooted in faith-inspired principles to combat GBV, promote protection, prevent harm, and foster a culture of inclusivity and equality.
According to him “the training had a total of 240 individuals representing a diverse array of religious leaders, community figures, and representatives from government and human rights institutions participated.
“This initiative focuses on addressing the urgent need for advocacy and capacity-building in GBV prevention across four Nigerian states.
“And by conducting the simultaneous training sessions in these regions, we will ensure a wide-reaching impact on local communities”.
While stating the achievements of SDT 1, he said it enhanced advocacy outreach and networking among stakeholders in the GBV prevention sector within the target states.
“Strengthened local capacity in utilizing faith-inspired resources and networks to effectively prevent GBV and effective knowledge transfer from DIWA’s Training of Trainers (ToT) program and other stakeholders to their respective communities.”
Muhammad however expressed his gratitude for the continuous support of stakeholders and affirmed DIWA’s commitment to keeping all interested parties involved as the GBV prevention efforts progresses.
